You are certainly pushing the limits of the game here, I think - reminds me of my map-making days when I did the same, maxing out the size limits of the maps.

The project is coming along nicely.

I haven’t had time to do a detailed reply until now (have spare 20 mins).

My reflections on the options:
1) A good option. A powerful computer should be able to handle this without issue.
2) Also good option, but you would definitely need the make the player read the ReadMe file
3) Not so good, especially if it doesn’t deliver the solution.
4) No. I would avoid this unless a last resort.
5) A good option. Trimming the research tree would be a viable option that should not impinge too much on player enjoyment.
6) I would only do this if it delivered the solution in one go, as it might affect balance, and would significantly affect the gameplay.
7) This is a good option to consider as it can be combined with some of the other options to deliver the solution. a small level of automation might not be too bad in terms of gameplay.
Heh Yes. the way to go.
9) I think we need the ability to save games, as it provides a shield against crashes. Picture this, you have been playing solidly for 83.5 hours and have finally constructed your superstardestroyer (a good point to do a save), the game then crashes on you…. URK!

Perhaps you could reduce the overall size of the Trade Group structure by removing some of the ships, or some subsystems from their ships (or both), or simplifying the way in which it operates, if this would deliver some of the saving that is needed.

I would go for achieving the reduction by targeting one area for the major saving (option 2 would work best for me), and filling in a bit from other areas._________________I'll have a Neutron Blaster please...
...No Neutron Blasters...
In that case I'll have a glove...

Thank you for your insights...as always it helps a great deal to get feedback when at a crossroads!

I am currently working on the Hiigaran Upgrades as well as documentation on the functions and various uses of the 2300+ unique ships available in-game. The documentation is helping to reduce the amount of information typically stored in the build queue and should also give indications of where each ship is built so as to allow for both options 1 & 2 to give the line reductions needed. I have also agreed with you that some form of option 7 will help matters.

I had toyed with the idea of pushing this game towards the realm of a 'simulated space railroad' of sorts, in the sense that various ships would be under player control to deliver consists and collect raw materials, but likely such a complication in the background of high-paced battles would be something of a strain.

What I have decided instead is to automate as many of these resource class ships as possible. Currently their pick-up and delivery paths are automated, but now I will also have the building of such ships automated. I will attempt instead to instigate a sort of dispatcher control suite that would allow the player to determine the mix of freighters they would like so as to avoid accidentally selling off excess resources that they player had been saving for later trades.

I am very hopeful that the combination of options 1, 2, and 7 will be sufficient to achieve what is ultimately required and that the completion of the Hiigaran Upgrades will not claim too much space in turn.

I am very hopeful that the combination of options 1, 2, and 7 will be sufficient to achieve what is ultimately required and that the completion of the Hiigaran Upgrades will not claim too much space in turn.

Sounds very good. The trick is to make sure that further additions won't erode the space gains again! A balancing act._________________I'll have a Neutron Blaster please...
...No Neutron Blasters...
In that case I'll have a glove...

Lots of December deadlines there, ambitious.
Are all of the ships/races from Warlords complete and balanced with the Hiig/Vayg equivalents?_________________I'll have a Neutron Blaster please...
...No Neutron Blasters...
In that case I'll have a glove...

Yes a lot is slated for December, but most of these tasks are likely only the work of a few days each...although the Hiigaran upgrades are taking a touch longer than anticipated.

Also, no real effort has been made to balance Vaygr with any of the Hiigaran upgrades. Such will have to wait until the AI rewrite as Vaygr will never possess anywhere near the scope of ships and options due to the inherent limitations in this game engine.

It is suggested that this Mod be primarily considered for dueling Hiigaran players for now.

Further, given that the Warlord races are all accessible through the Hiigarans it is not intended that the Hiigarans themselves be balanced against any single one of these beyond the ability to enlist the various factions themselves directly.

Glad to see 1) completed - this one had me slightly concerned as it is a very important feature.

Jelrak wrote:

Further, given that the Warlord races are all accessible through the Hiigarans it is not intended that the Hiigarans themselves be balanced against any single one of these beyond the ability to enlist the various factions themselves directly.

Ah, got it._________________I'll have a Neutron Blaster please...
...No Neutron Blasters...
In that case I'll have a glove...

1) Enabling Fleet Manufacturing
--One aspect of choosing the Advanced Production option is the opportunity to mass produce several different fleet batches using resources instead of currency. This will speed up fleet production at certain key facilities.

2) Automating Trade Group Facilities
--Trade Groups currently allow the direct purchase of individual ships from one of 5 chosen Trade Groups in exchange for resources, but the new system will be to instead have these facilities automatically convert resources into ships until either resources are exhausted, the ship limit is reached, or the order is canceled.

3) Automating Resource Operations
--To reduce complexity, this option will enable players to simply choose the overall direction of their resourcing system instead of the current requirement that they build individual ships. The options will be to either:
a) Gather: use the current fleet of resource ships to build up stores of resources for future requirements
b) Trade: use transport ships to trade resources for domestic fleets and/or Trade Group Facilities
c) Sell: make use of the commercial fleet to export resources out of the current sector at current market prices
d) Build: build up the resourcing fleet to increase gathering and resource production speed

hopefully the ship limit will not be too restrictive.
Will there be an option to vary the ship limits at the game set up stage?_________________I'll have a Neutron Blaster please...
...No Neutron Blasters...
In that case I'll have a glove...

hopefully the ship limit will not be too restrictive.
Will there be an option to vary the ship limits at the game set up stage?

The ship limit is different for each type:

1) Hiigarans are limited by crew on hand
2) Mercenaries are one time buys only (unless the player invests in the Alien Research Framework Station)
3) Allies are limited to 1 to 10 squadrons at a time depending on ship size, but I will probably have the limit related to honor points instead (unless the player has the Espionage station)
4) Trade Groups are limited to the amount of resources available or else the game's hard-coded limit of 250 squadrons

May i suggest one option to have a very high crew limit? I always had to hack the crew limits when playing on very large maps to allow for enought ships to have an effective gameplay!_________________I'll have a Neutron Blaster please...
...No Neutron Blasters...
In that case I'll have a glove...

Yes I have built in an option for maximum crew, but beyond this I have also made it possible to build multiple Crew Stations in addition to the ability to construct an Academy that truly raises crew to a much higher level

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